MFW: VERSACE S/S 2014

Sometimes, we look at a fashion collection and have to wonder exactly what the designer must have been thinking to inspire the specific styles they’ve chosen. Never is that the case with Donatella Versace, however. She’s always been more than willing to tell us exactly what she’s thinking, and for her spring/summer 2014 collection, we’re glad she clarified a few things.

Inspired by street wear, which the designer calls the “new runway,” she broke from the house’s traditional DNA. “Usually we give them clothes that are very tight to the body but this time they are much more languid – they caress the body,” she said right before the show. “I think at the moment it’s all about easy things to wear; women love to wear jeans and a T-shirt so I want to give these ordinary things the status of luxury,”

So, her first look down the runway is a denim jacket with a rough looking circle skirt made of raffia infused with silk. A chain fastened with the brand’s Medusa head lies underneath and makes appearances on several of the ensembles, including gowns, giving the collection even more of a good girl/bad girl juxtaposition. Liquid metal mesh provided almost a chainmail effect, and bandage-strap dresses, in this particular setting had a bondage feel to them.

Anyone feeling a bit uncomfortable yet?

But wait, there are plenty of pastels and floral patterns and one particular yellow piece that was the right color to make me hungry. The circle skirt done in lavender with roses doesn’t look nearly as frightening. There’s still sufficient amounts of softness in this Versace collection, if that’s what you really want.

The biggest selling item, though, is almost certainly going to he the rock-styled t-shirts, complete with “Versace Tour” cities (London, New York, Paris, etc.) listed on the back. Donatella was wearing one herself when she came out to take her bow. This is very much a rock and roll collection for a rock and roll world. One has to think, as the Versace mansion in Miami sold this past week, that Donatella has her eye firmly on the future and looks to position the family label to hold a very dominant position.